Machine Gun Kelly says it was "a dream" hanging out with Taylor Hawkins two days before his death.
The Foo Fighters drummer tragically died on Friday (25.03.22), aged 50, and the 31-year-old pop punk star has shared a heartwarming story of getting to hang out with Taylor and his bandmates at their hotel after the festival they were due to perform at in Paraguay was cancelled due to a storm.
MGK described Taylor - who is suspected to have overdosed, after "10 substances" were found in his system at the time of his death - as a "beautiful soul man", who made time for everyone.
In a heartfelt tribute, he said: “Amazing musician … great voice too. I know we know him from the drums but has an amazing voice too.
You know, for his kids when they grow up if they ever see this I actually would like to just speak to them about Taylor. I want to share a story about what happened two nights before when we were in Paraguay and a monsoon happened essentially and our shows got cancelled.”
Foos frontman Dave Grohl and Taylor were planning to catch MGK's set and both told him they were "bummed" to miss it.
He said: “It sucked because I actually woke up and we went to soundcheck that day — it’s like an hour drive — and we went super early because that day was the day the Foo Fighters were playing with us on the same stage and I had texted Dave [Grohl] and he was like,’Yes, I’m gonna come watch the show.’ They had never seen the show and Dave and I have had a few interactions, same with Taylor and I, and that was the day, ‘like, ‘Oh my God the Foo Fighters are gonna come watch our show!’”
The 'Bloody Valentine' hitmaker continued: “So I’m texting Dave and we’re super bummed and he’s like, ‘Come over to the hotel, we’re going to shut the rooftop down and we’ll have some drinks.'
“And I walked up and we got out of the elevator, all 20 of us, and Taylor, Dave, the whole Foo Fighters team … but specifically Taylor, he went up to every single one of us and gave us each our moment. Like, every single one of us, man, down to… my assistant, they’re relating over, ‘Oh you’re from Topanga? I’m from Topanga!’ It was like, dude, he’s such a beautiful soul man."
MGK wants Taylor's children - Oliver, Annabelle and Everleigh - to know their father was a "great, great man".
He told 'The Howard Stern Show' on SiriusXM: “We were looking at him go through the bar and he stopped at every single person and gave his heart. I just want to say to his kids, your father when we left there… the kids in us came out. ‘This is the greatest night of our life!’ These legends… and the last thing he had said, and my drummer, we were tripping out over it. And the last thing he said was, ‘I’m just so bummed I didn’t get to see you guys play.'”
He concluded: “I really want to thank him and let his kids know that he made us feel — in a time where the outside world, outside of the fans, and the outside world was really coming in hard on us — he made us feel so confident in ourselves and loved. Your father is a great, great man and we were all lucky to know him and we all appreciate that night more than anyone will know. That was a dream for us."
